Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for a high-level meeting of security officials in response to the recent anti-Israeli riots in Dagestan and the North Caucasus region [fe2a1082]. The riots have raised concerns in Moscow, prompting the government to take preventative steps to address the unrest. The Ukrainian Weekly, an English-language publication serving the Ukrainian American community, reported on the situation [fe2a1082].
The anti-Semitic riot in Dagestan, which targeted Israeli citizens and Jewish people, has left the local Jewish community feeling unsettled. Hundreds of Dagestanis, mostly young men, rampaged through an airport terminal in the regional capital of Makhachkala, and over 80 arrests were made. President Putin has accused the West and Ukraine of stirring up the trouble [4d24d6e6].
In light of the unrest, Moscow has taken action to purge security officials and implement preventative measures in the North Caucasus. The government is concerned about the ongoing anti-Semitism faced by Jews in the region and the potential for further violence. The recent riot in Dagestan has highlighted the need for increased security measures and a coordinated response to ensure the safety of all residents [fe2a1082].
Despite the incident, some locals in Dagestan remain resilient and refuse to be intimidated. The Jewish community in the region has been in decline, with emigration leading to a significant decrease in population over the years. Visitors to Derbent's Jewish cemetery, once home to a large Jewish population, believe that the airport riot was planned to disrupt the relationship between Russia and Israel [4d24d6e6].
In a separate incident, gunmen attacked a synagogue, two Orthodox churches, and a traffic police station in Russia's Dagestan region, resulting in multiple casualties [e6c2bade]. The attacks occurred in the cities of Makhachkala and Derbent. A priest and around 10 security personnel, including local policemen, were killed, and over two dozen were injured. Four militants were 'eliminated' by security forces in Makhachkala, and two assailants were reportedly killed in Derbent. An Orthodox priest was killed in the attack on the church in Derbent. The synagogue in Derbent was set ablaze. The National Antiterrorism Committee reported that the 'active phase' of the operation in Derbent has finished and two assailants had been killed. The police chief of the nearby town of Dagestanskiye Ogni was severely wounded in Derbent. A police car was fired upon in the Sergokala village, leaving an official injured [e6c2bade].